August 2007
The Archives
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08.28.07You Don’t Call Me Skinny, I Won’t Call You Fat. Deal?Thanksgiving in Mexico It was a Mexican Thanksgiving. The rotund Americans that swarm to Ajiijic looking for the good life post-retirement were licking their fingers, getting waited on by well-dressed Mexicans and waddling towards the buffet meal that awaited them. I picked up my plate and flatware and prepared to choose the vegetarian foods from among the carnivore options. That Thanksgiving I was in luck because there was potato salad, stuffing, bright purple cranberry sauce and a variety of fresh fruit and vegetables. The smell of the turkey made me salivate. As I dipped the serving ...
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08.26.07How to Rock a Karaoke BarMy addiction to karaoke began in Japan. Japanese schoolchildren and businessmen alike use it as a tool to unwind, and so did I. The difference for me is that I became addicted to the rush of performing without practice; Japanese folks will practice their song until it's memorized before taking to the microphone. And, my God, do they wail. Last night, as I took to the stage at "Singers," this unassuming karaoke bar that has stadium-style seating and seven nights of well-attended karaoke a week, I channelled Whitney Houston. I was wearing my favorite karaoke tee, bright ...
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08.24.07You Don’t Have to Be a Hippie to Give the World a HugOne of my favorite teachers in high school taught one of my least favorite subjects. Michelle Wood* won the superlative for "hottest teacher" or the equivalent every year. She taught chemistry to the best and brightest, and to the "Honor" kids that didn't make it to AP (advanced placement) levels. That'd be me. In the columns and at the bottom of each page of our multiple-paged chemistry tests she wrote encouraging phrases like, "almost there!" and "keep up the great work!" Her handwriting, bold, smiling and encouraging, got me through those tests. When you reached the ...
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08.20.07Devotion is not a Dirty WordIn the three years following my mom's death, I woke up most days and silently dedicated the day to her memory. It was a conscious act of dedicating my life to her because I believed a) she was watching from heaven (I believed this half-way, at least), b) she didn't get to do all the things she wanted to do so I would do them for her and c) she would appreciate it if I thought of her every day. Maybe she'd pay me a visit. In high school, I convinced myself over the course of several journal entries ...
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08.13.07Marriage, and Other Ways to Sell-Out[What follows is my worst anti-marriage mood. I get in one about once a year, following a wedding. And sometimes, even I, lil' ol' me...want to *cough* *hack*...wed. Lawfully or no.] This summer I had the pleasure of attending a 50th wedding anniversary in the U.P., Michigan and a wedding in central New York. The anniversary took place in a church addition, where daycare and Sunday school were to be held the following day. As my grandmother flitted around the room pointing at things and expecting their removal, I noted that she was essentially eliminating Jesus ...
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08.08.07Gwen Talks with Remarkable People: David Cohen, Founder of TechStarsOnce in a blue moon I fall in love with a person the moment I meet them. Usually, as in the case of David Cohen, founder of TechStars and all around starter kind of guy, it's innocuous and blooms over a cup of coffee. We met at the very first Startup Weekend and I watched in amazement as he wrote more than 100 blog posts in a 72-hour period and still managed to be friendly and encouraging, sweating very little. We met a few days later to talk about TechStars, women in tech and the Boulder scene. ...
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Current Projects
Blogher: I'm speaking at Blogher 08.
Kirtsy: I'm a proud Edit-her.
Yoga Garden: My studio in Japan
Nintendo: I'm a Brand Enthusiast.
BWET: I like hanging w/tech-oriented entrepreneurial women.